Her Seven Kisses
by femme fetal
Summary: Hermione has experienced seven truely meaningful kisses in her life. Written for my Seven Kisses Challenge.
1. one of seven

_**Seven kisses. **_

By femme fetal.

**i. ****tell me about your first kiss, tell me, or have you already forgotten it?**

_Hermione/Cedric._

_a. her first year, his third year. _

He was arrogant, and he could be cruel. His laughter was never quicker than when it was directed at someone else's folly. He made girls fall in love with him with no intention to catch them as they fell. He was the master of witty retorts and fast with put downs. He was beautiful, and he knew it.

He walked into Hermione's library with no intent for learning. Rather he was there for a snog and he didn't care who knew it. Her name was Marie Clarisse; she was a second year with ample bosom and a pretty smile. He did not care for her; he only cared for one thing.

He was a third year; it was his place to teach the younger children how lowly they truly were. A second year that was so well endowed at such a young age was rare, and was a special treat for him.

The smirk never left his lips as he drew her through the library and towards seclusion. He couldn't help it when it was this easy.

In his haste he didn't notice the brown haired girl with the disapproving look on her face. He would later regret not noticing her, because she truly was something beautiful and rare.

Marie giggled as his lips pressed against her own. She was unexperienced and didn't know what to do. But she truly did want him to like her. So she let him touch her chest, and allowed his tongue into her mouth.

The pair were so wrapped up in their ministrations they did not notice a blonde girl walking towards them with an angry glint in her eye. Hermione did though, and she was already ducking from the fall out.

The blonde girl punched Marie as hard as she could, causing the smaller girl to fall to the floor. She pushed him against the bookcase with all her might then turned and walked away. Hermione could hear the blonde girl muttering about jerks under her breath and stifled a giggle.

Marie held her cheek, her eyes dampening with tears. She looked to him for comfort of any sort, and saw nothing but badly hidden disgust and silent laughter. She ran, as fast as she could and as far as she could away from the cruel boy who was the first to break her heart.

"Are you in some way related to Draco Malfoy?" Hermione asked, as she leaned against the end of the bookcase. He looked up at her curiously.

"I suppose I am, distantly," He replied with a smirk. "I'm Cedric Diggory." He held out a hand for her. She ignored it.

"I know, quite well, who you are, Mr. Diggory," Hermione responded. Cedric smirked.

"And does what I have to offer interest you?" He queried.

"Not in anyway. I don't want a quick snog and you urging me for a quick shag. I want neither my first kiss nor my first time to be ruined with your taste. You are a terrible user, something that should be discouraged, not thought of as some great skill," Hermione responded. She turned away from the boy before her and returned to her studies.

Cedric stood in a daze. He had never been spoken to so plainly by a girl. They always did as he wanted without him ever having to ask. And here was a small, eleven year old girl talking back and leaving him speechless.

This had to be the first time he had questioned himself and his ways since arriving at Hogwarts. She couldn't be right, could she?

He stood in astonishment for long enough for her to collect her things and leave.

_b. her fourth year, his sixth year._

He had changed drastically; he wasn't the scheming boy he had been. He was truly growing into a man he could be proud of. And the change was thanks to a small girl who showed him what a horrible brat he had been.

He never really saw her alone again after that day three years before. He had thought about her often though. He always heard about her adventures with Harry Potter and always made sure to discretely watch out for her while Draco Malfoy was around.

Was he truly so much like that cruel boy just three years ago? Did he really treat girls so badly and not care when they fell hard in on themselves?

Now, when he had a girlfriend he truly cared for her, he was always with the same girl for over a month and best of all, he was always faithful. He had grown and matured, and one would have to thank Hermione Granger for that.

It was the night of the Yule Ball when his morals began crashing around him. Upon the stairs stood a beautiful, perfect figure of feminine glory; something he had seen in her before but was shining now with her own new-found self belief behind it.

He tried to remind himself that he was with Cho, and the person he was now did not allow for him to hurt females as he once had. Dinner was painful, trying not to look at her while also trying to capture her eye. Then watching her dance with the Bulgarian, it was torture of the most atrocious variety.

That night, their meeting was not supposed to be. He searched for her every moment he could. But more often than not his friends would drag him away, or Cho would demand attention.

It wasn't until the night before the third task that he finally caught a break. He watched her walk through the entrance hall and out of the great doors.

He walked outside slowly, as not to draw attention to himself. She walked towards the lake shore, not stopping until she reached a bench from which she could watch the lake surface ripple. He caught up with her when she sat on the bench, her hair falling out of place and tears falling from her eyes.

"A girl as beautiful as you shouldn't be crying on a night as beautiful as this," Cedric said. She looked up immediately and her eyes brightened when she saw it was him.

"I've watched you grow, Cedric Diggory," She told him, approval in her tone. "You are becoming a true man." The way she said it made his spine tingle and caused goose bumps to break out all over his body. She sounded so wise and knowledgeable.

"I've watched you also, Hermione Granger," He smiled, and sat beside her. "It doesn't surprise me that such a brave girl with such a true heart has had so many adventures in so few years. Without you I doubt Harry would have made it this far."

Hermione's eyes flooded with tears once again, and she clung to the young man sitting beside her. He held her as best he could in the uncomfortable position.

Finally he gave up with trying to work around her contorted body and he lifted her onto his lap. She was such a small girl which made the task an easy one. Her tears seemed to calm and he feared she would leave him with all these questions.

"Who are you?" He asked. It was the first thing that came to mind. A girl who was so brave and so smart who could place any boy or man in his place with just a few words. The question didn't seem like a true question to her though and the serious tone of the question made her smile.

"I'm just a girl, nothing special," She smiled at him only then realising that sitting on his lap made them almost the same height, her still being that tiny bit smaller than him.

"You are more than special, Hermione. I think I have been searching for you since you left me in that library three years ago," He whispered. His heart was beating fast in his chest, he was frightened she would hear it and think him pathetic.

"You've known where I was all this time, you could have just come calling," She whispered back. The air around them seemed filled with serenity and happiness; as though this moment was supposed to happen and Hogwarts had been waiting for it for a long time.

His lips brushed against her own, not a true kiss, but a promise of what could be. She yearned for the true kiss, that would tell her his true intentions and if this were real. He stood, pulling her off his lap.

"I cannot kiss you in good conscious while I am still dating Cho," he told her solemnly. She bowed her head and they began the walk back to the castle.

Before they were halfway there Hermione stopped him.

"Cedric, I don't have a good feeling about tomorrow," She held his hand close to her heart as she spoke so he could feel her heart in its fear.

"How can I quieten your worries?" He asked sincerely. She looked at the ground nervously, then into his eyes.

"I want you to kiss me. I want you to kiss me and mean it more than you've ever meant anything before. I want you to promise me with that one kiss that you will come back to me. Please, take my first kiss, and make it memorable." Her eyes shone with tears again as she spoke and Cedric did the only thing he could do.

Cedric lowered his mouth to her own and kissed her. The air hummed around them, not that either noticed, too caught up in themselves. Cedric deepened the kiss. Hermione pressed herself against him.

Their kiss stopped only when they needed to breathe, and even then they stood forehead to forehead breathing heavily, hands intertwined.

"Did you feel it? Everything you wanted?" Cedric breathed, scared of her response.

"I felt everything, I felt the future in my veins, and I felt your being pouring into my own," Hermione breathed back to him. She felt him relax.

They began walking back to the castle with an unspoken agreement that they should go to bed in preparation for the long day before them. The day for which Hermione hoped her fears were unfounded.


	2. two of seven

_**Seven kisses. **_

By femme fetal.

**ii. the fourth drink instinct is taking over, and the gentleman is leading her towards the door. **

_Hermione/Sirius_

Hermione wasn't one for drinking. She didn't feel that rebellious need to go out and get as drunk as possible before stumbling home. She was a known good girl in a group that got in trouble at least once every year.

That night was the exception. She had been numb for weeks; since the death of Cedric Diggory. She just wanted to feel something again, to forget everything that had happened, and getting drunk seemed to be the best way to do that. It had to be, right? Alcoholics drink every day of their lives to forget, they wouldn't do it if it didn't help, right?

So with those thoughts in mind, Hermione had found herself at a bar. She had taken an Aging potion and looked nineteen year old. She had made herself a university id card and had been quickly and quietly accepted into the muggle club.

Bodies meshed together on the dance floor, the rhythm of the music blasted through the floor and drinks with varying levels of alcohol were consumed all around Hermione. Hermione wasn't sure what alcohol was best. She'd heard good things about vodka from her Muggle friends, so she decided it was high time to try it.

"I'll have something with a lot of vodka," Hermione mumbled to the barman. He raised his eyebrows at her in disbelief.

"Can I see your I.D.?" He asked. One look at it shocked him, it was perfect. Who ever had made this fake was really good. He studied the girl before him; she couldn't be more than sixteen. He was tempted to turn her away, she was around the same age as his sister and he would hate to think of someone serving his little sister alcohol. A look into her eyes made him make the drink. She was drowning in pain. "What brings you here?"

"My boyfriend was murdered," She replied. Her voice was monotonous when she raised her tone above a murmur. His eyes widened. He poured her drink and moved onto the next customer awaiting service. He watched her as she drunk; he wanted to make sure she wouldn't get too messed up and go home with someone she would regret. No matter how terribly she was missing her boyfriend she should never do anything she would regret.

After her first drink, Hermione was slurring. She was obviously a light weight. A number of the younger guys in the club tried to pick up conversation with her, but she was disinterested in them, only giving one or two work answers to their questions until they finally gave up and left her alone.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" The barman asked. She drained the rest of her drink.

"Hermione," She replied. "Can I have another drink now?" She was far less eloquent than she had been before the drink. The barman just nodded at her. He poured the drink and set it in front of her before taking her used glass.

After her second drink, Hermione was tingling and it felt good. She smiled a little bit now, even though her eyes held tears.

"He was a bit of a womaniser when I met him. He liked his fair share of ladies, you know? I bet you do. You're pretty enough; bet you have lots of women after you. Wait, you don't mind being called pretty do you? It's a compliment, I promise," Hermione told the barman. He smiled at her. He was only 21 but he could admit he had a particular feminine quality that made people think of him as 'pretty' rather than handsome or any of those usual compliments.

"I'm not offended. You're rather pretty yourself, Hermione," Her eyes widened and he laughed.

"No one ever thinks I'm pretty! I'm boring old bookworm. Except for at the Yule ball, of course. People noticed me then, thought I was nice enough to look at. Even the ferret looked at me like I was more than just dirt under his shoes, which is something new," She told him. He didn't understand the concept of a Yule ball, or who this ferret person was, but he smiled and nodded with her. "I'm rambling an awful lot, aren't I? Can I have another drink?"

"Isn't it time for you to get home, Hermione?" He asked. Not really wanting her to drink much more.

"No, no, just one more!" Hermione cried. She gave him her best smile and he couldn't help himself. She was beautifully broken and hilarious to talk to.

After her third drink, Hermione was on the dance floor being groped by complete strangers. She moved as best she could with the music from the speakers while men came up behind her and grinded themselves against her. She didn't appear to notice them very much.

The barman had gotten back from the toilet and noticed that Hermione wasn't in her seat. He saw the vultures around her and pulled her off the dance floor.

"Dancing in a place like this will only get you in trouble, Hermione." He told her as he guided her back to the seat at the bar. "You're only what, sixteen? You don't want to get involved with these people."

"You knew how old I am and you still served me drinks? Isn't that illegal?" Hermione whispered to him. He knew she was whispering so he didn't get in trouble.

"You needed it. Just don't tell anyone how old you really are, and everything will be okay." She nodded enthusiastically.

"Just one more drink then? I'll go home after. Don't want to worry anyone," Hermione says.

"Why don't you go home now?" He asks. She shrugs.

"It's too quiet there. Everyone is mourning. I don't want to be there right now. So please, one more?" She begs. He sighs and pours the drink.

After her fourth drink, Hermione was struggling to stay upright in her seat. She sways and giggles and continues talking to the barman.

"I don't know your name. You've been my best friend ever for the last three hours and I still don't know your name!" She cries out then giggles.

"My name is Tad," He tells her with a smile. "Let's see if you remember me at all in the morning, hey?"

An older guy enters the club. He looks around as though looking for someone. Tad always notices the older guys. They are generally pretty creepy when they come in looking for some young meat.

The older man has longish black hair; he's around about 35, maybe older. He has scars on his face and tattoos all over his body, not that many are viewable. His eyes are what Tad notices most though; they aren't the usual eyes of the perverted older guys with nothing to do. They are worried and slightly scared.

The man notices Hermione at the bar and his eyes both light up with relief and annoyance. He makes his way over quickly.

"Sirius! What are you doing here? You know you aren't allowed out of the house! Bad dog," Hermione giggles the entire time she talks.

"Are you drunk, Hermione?" He asks blanching.

"No, of course not, Siri!" She cries out. "Wanna meet my new best friend? His name is Tad. Like tadpole!" Sirius eyes Tad angrily.

"So, Tad, what did you think you were doing getting her drunk?" Sirius growls at him. Tad is actually frightened by the look in his eyes then. Almost insane.

"She needed to get away from her problems. By the smell of you, you've been running away from yours as well," Tad replies. He doesn't know the alcohol on the older man's breath but some of the oddest people have come into the club smelling the same.

"I'm taking you home now, Hermione. Say goodbye to Tad," Sirius talks softly to Hermione. Hermione smiles brightly at Tad.

"Bye, Tad! I hope I see you again soon!" Hermione doesn't stop smiling.

"Next time I hope it's sober. You're definitely at your best when you're sober." Hermione is guided out of the club swiftly. Tad hopes that he really does get to meet her again, next time when she's sober.

Hermione clings to Sirius as they walk towards their street. Hermione rambles about anything and everything. She smiles more than she has in a long while and Sirius can't help but revel in her joy.

"We've got to be quiet when we get inside, Herms, we don't want to wake everyone up," Sirius tells her. Hermione smiles and nods. Sirius hopes that Hermione will try at least to be quiet.

They finally reach the house and any attempt to sneak inside is instantly forgotten. Five seconds inside the door and Hermione falls over a table and laughs loudly.

"Come on, Hermione. We're going to get you up to bed, and in the morning I'll bring you a nice hangover potion," Sirius tells her quietly. "But you have to be quiet. You don't want Harry and Ron coming down and asking what's going on, do you?"

Hermione instantly straightens up, the smile falling from her face. "No, Sirius," She whispers to him. He leads her upstairs, the reminder of her friends causing her to almost sober up. The pair reach Hermione's bedroom, enter and close the door quietly.

Hermione unties her wrap around cardigan and unbuttons her jeans. Sirius stands in shock watching her.

"Hermione! What are you doing?" Sirius' voice cracks as he speaks. Hermione looks at him with a puzzled expression on her face.

"I'm taking off my pants and cardigan so I can go to bed, is that okay?" She asks, sarcasm lacing her tone.

Now only in her singlet and panties, Hermione slips under her covers. Sirius turns to leave.

"I'll see you in the morning, then," He tells her. She frowns and sit up.

"I don't want to be alone tonight. Please, don't leave me," She says it softly. He blinks, then sighs. He can't say anything to her, it wouldn't come out right and Sirius is frightened for Hermione.

He takes off his jacket only, not caring to be found half naked with a 16 year old girl, no matter how beyond-her-years she seems. Sirius climbs into the other side of the bed, planning to leave once Hermione has fallen asleep.

"Sirius?" Hermione whispers, turning to face Sirius' back. Sirius sighs and turns over slowly.

"Yes, Hermione?" He asks. The way she looks at him makes Sirius wish he was young and beautiful in the way he was those years before Azkaban. Sirius wishes that when he was young he would have been worth her time.

She reaches towards his face and her fingers trace a pattern on his face. Sirius closes his eyes. Hermione leans forward and her lips ghost across his. His eyes open in shock.

"Hermione," He warns her. His tone tells her everything she needs to know. He wants her. He can make her feel better than she has in a while. She can trust him, wholly and completely.

She kisses him; properly this time. He kisses back and he means it. He wants to protect her, wants to save her from the horrors affecting her. He was jealous of the young man in the bar, he is jealous of the people who see her everyday but worst of all, he is jealous of the future people who get to kiss her. What can an escaped convict offer a beautiful young woman, really?

This night he can offer her his love, and in the morning they can both feel the shame and regret of their drunken actions. But just for tonight, they will give in.


	3. three of seven

_**Seven kisses. **_

By femme fetal.

**iii. ****don't stop, don't stop, telling me goodnight, just promise you'll kiss me goodbye.**

_Hermione/Draco_

The battle raged. So much violence and horror in a sanctuary like Hogwarts was wrong on more than one level. Forgetting the fact grievous loss of life, the magic that had seeped into the grounds and the walls and the water would be tainted and angry for centuries to come.

Hermione felt the need to get somewhere, yet she wasn't sure where. It was the same desire she had felt that night with Sirius. She did not regret giving Sirius her innocence. How could she when he deserved something much more pure and delicate than anything she could offer?

She did have a regret from that memory, and that was only not telling him how much it meant to her. He had understood her so completely in those moments before and after that she felt as though she was herself once more. He had given her the power to move forward with her life, to remember the promises and kiss that she shared with Cedric but not to dwell in what might have been.

The corridors blurred together until she didn't know where she was in the castle any longer. Nothing stood out when she looked around, but strangely enough it didn't bother her nearly as much as she thought it should.

Hermione jolted backwards in surprise as the spectres of the people who had lost their lives to anger and pain began to materialize. All shared the same look of sadness. Tears filled her eyes at the vast number which blurred the corridors she walked. Why were they all back? They couldn't be back for good; they looked nothing like the ghosts that lived in the school.

A solid shape moved through the spectres and towards her. They moved aside for him, as though the reason they were truly there was to guide these two souls together.

His platinum blonde hair was what she first noticed. His sharp grey eyes in the surrounding dullness was the second. Draco Malfoy. He looked completely unfazed by the being surrounding them that Hermione wondered if he could see them at all.

"Can you see them?" She didn't mean to ask. She didn't honestly wish to talk to him, but the words were already out and his disapproving eyes were already judging her.

"Of course I can, you stupid mudblood," His words were harsh and biting, much like the cold filling the halls. "They have been brought back by the violence filling the grounds."

"But what does that mean? Can they go back to the peaceful realms?" Hermione asked, quickly forgetting with whom she was talking.

"They never were in the peaceful realms," He told her. "They were trapped by their anger, by their sorrow, in a place between. They come back during battles to try and find peace."

"You're giving me little more than additional questions, Malfoy. How do you know all of this?" Hermione demanded. Her temper flaring, perhaps for the first time since Harry, Ron and herself had set out to find the Horcruxes.

"I know, because I've heard the stories. Just as any pureblood witch or wizard has. It's something not written about, because of fear, but the stories are passed on as ghost stories to scare young ones with on stormy nights," He looks around.

The spectres closest to the pair had a sudden change in expression; a slight smile graced their faces and warmth began radiating from them. Finally they began to ascend through the ceiling and into the sky. Vanishing when reaching the clouds; only Hermione and Draco could not know that, being in a confided space as they were.

"What's happening to them?" Draco asks, fear hinted in his tone. Hermione smiled.

"They're leaving," Hermione replied. Draco looked at her, shocked.

"That's not possible. There is no way for them to just leave. You don't know anything about this, regardless of how much of a know-it-all you are in other departments," His tone turned scathing. Perhaps not his best insult ever, but Draco was far too confused by his childhood ghost stories come to life.

Hermione did understand what was happening though. Draco couldn't, he wasn't feeling as Hermione was. Hermione was only feeling forgiveness. She hadn't realised it until that moment, though. Draco had changed, his bothering to explain the strangeness was proof enough for her, and for that she forgave him for all the hurt he had inflicted upon her and her friends.

The spectres all around them rushed towards the unlikely pair. Hermione bit back a scream and took a step into Draco's arms. Draco couldn't move. He couldn't comprehend what was happening to the ghosts and holding a scared girl in his arms didn't seem to be anything worthwhile noticing in that moment.

The pair stood that way for what felt like a long time. They were unsure of what to do or say to one another. Finally, they were left alone, in the corridor in a somewhat awkward position if anyone was to stumble upon them.

They could hear the screams and yells from the battlefield clearly now. Hermione stepped back.

"I need to go," She told him.

"Do you understand what happened just then?" Draco demanded stepping towards Hermione.

"Forgiveness. I forgave you, and they were able to forgive themselves," She replied. She stepped away from him.

"You forgive me?" He asked. He appeared shocked. He thought back to everything that had happened in the past. "How?"

"I need to go now. If we both make it out of this alive, I'll tell you sometime," Hermione smiled and began walking away.

Draco grabbed her arm and pulled her back. Her eyes screamed her confusion.

"If this is goodbye, I want to thank you properly," He explained before leaning down and placing his lips on hers. Their kiss was passionate and spoke of forgiveness and sorrow.

Their breathing was heavy when they broke apart. His forehead rested against hers for a moment as he looked into her eyes.

"Don't be mistaken into thinking after this is over we're going to be friends," Draco told her. His tone wasn't as harsh as he wished it was. Corridors and spectres changed things quickly, it seemed.

"I wouldn't dream of it," Hermione smiled at him. "Stay safe, please." Hermione ran as quickly as her legs would take her. Draco stood watching her go.

_**A/N:** I'm sorry this took so long. I was halfway through writing it when life happened, so let me know if there are any inconsistancies. Reviews are love._


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